Hands on hatching and help

[RubyNala97]

How many birds do you have and how big are your facilities? I'd like to start breeding Marans, d'Uccles, and sweet grass turkeys and of course NPIP certification would be good to have but i feel like they'd think it was a joke when they see how small I am (setup wise) - just two shed coops, a brooder coop, and about 400 sq ft of run right now. I just built the second coop and am already thinking of expanding more lol

Your place sounds bigger then mine!! it's usually a minimum of 30 birds but if you have less they will just test them all. I'm only a small backyard breeder with only silkies and it's beneficial for me to have it and sell to other breeders that are NPIP. I lost 4 sales last month because I was not certified.

I'm pretty devastated right now. I'm not sure if I mentioned it in here but I have had my neighbor's five ducks and two turkey jakes coming over and eating all my feed because I'm guessing the neighbor isn't feeding them enough.

Well, today I didn't leave food out free choice for my birds like I usually do because I was sick of feeding the neighbor's birds and planned to feed mine in the coop tonight. The turkeys (I don't blame the turkeys for this, I want to say ahead of time, I blame the humans that have left them so hungry it drove them to do this) went into my coop and broke into my brooder area to eat the feed out of the chick feeders.

While in there, they trampled to death all my sultans but one, all of my AC chicks including the ones I had hatched from CJ's game eggs except one, several of my guinea keets, one of my baby turkeys, and one of my peachicks.

No way!! That is terrible. I'd want to shoot those turkeys! Not that I would (I never would) but I'd want to teach those neighbors a lesson. Can you ask them to keep their birds off your property? That's a big loss you've suffered!!

Please disregard my question above, I re-candled the egg and it looks like the aircell expanded quite a bit since day 18. This egg was very porous to start with so it had a larger air cell through most of the incubation.

Glad to hear it's in the air cell. Give it time!

 

[RubyNala97]

Fun update! I have been remiss in not doing the same! Hope to post a few photos of the gang later today so I can show them off to @RubyNala97 Like you, I don't know yet what I have out there. The little chick we thought would be a Red Splash because he/she had the reddish smudges on her has grown in pure white, doggone it. We named him/her Q-tip. Smudge, black and white, is still the largest of the bunch. The last light splash one is still just called "Huh" because every time we go out there to do something, there's that "Duh, huh? Wuz you calling ME?" look. I have 4 dark ones....four degrees of gray, as it were.....and they are pistols! I had to trim the fuzz from all of their faces because being in with larger chickens they were starting to get picked on a bit and just crouching there and taking it. Couldn't see where else to go! Boy, what a difference THAT made - suddenly they picked right back and the bigger girls have given up on hassling them completely. Stupid question - does that hair trim last until molt when everything re-grows, or is it something I'll have do frequently? They don't seem to mind it one bit - Katie can even help, but I'm wondering........ We're debating whether to make the 7 of them a smaller, Silkies only coop. Wondering how they'll fare during winter here, and a little worried about them being in close confinement with the Bigs during the long times they'll be stuck in the coop. Inquiring minds................

Blooie, I really want to see the silkies!! I'm glad you trimmed them. That is definitely recommended when they are mixed with LF. I've heard that the crest around the eyes will grow back at molt but I had a couple girls that I had to trim because they couldn't even see their food to eat and I had to do it every few weeks. It really does change them once they can see. Some silkies and LF do good together and others don't. You have to keep a close eye on them and see what you feel is best. Silkies are prone to head injuries, their skulls do not close all the way on top and the brain is only covered by soft tissue, so a head peck can be fatal. And they are usually very docile in nature so they are more towards the bottom of the pecking order anyway. It depends on the bigger birds and flock dynamics. I can't wait to see what they look like now!!

 

[Blooie]

I just didn't get around to pictures the other day when I posted. Too much going on getting kids ready for school and getting the truck out of the shop. But I'll get to it!

I'll keep on top of those poofs. Beginning to suspect at least 2 roosters in the Silkies but still not sure. Too little to crow yet, but sure a lot of chest bumping and competition going on between them. I know that can happen between the girls too, so I'll just watch for now.

They are doing great in with the LF so far....even the older 4 year old birds I have are not an issue, so we hope that continues.

 

[apollora]

Your place sounds bigger then mine!! it's usually a minimum of 30 birds but if you have less they will just test them all. I'm only a small backyard breeder with only silkies and it's beneficial for me to have it and sell to other breeders that are NPIP. I lost 4 sales last month because I was not certified.
No way!! That is terrible. I'd want to shoot those turkeys! Not that I would (I never would) but I'd want to teach those neighbors a lesson. Can you ask them to keep their birds off your property? That's a big loss you've suffered!!
Glad to hear it's in the air cell. Give it time!

Poor little guy didn't make it I went home to check on them on my lunch and he never made it out of the egg and there was a lot of fluid on the paper towel under the egg. I had another one that looked like the yolk broke, it was stuck from the yolk drying so I had to wet it down and help it out.

I wrapped him it a damp paper towel so I'm hoping I can get the dried yolk off him when I get home tonight.

 

[Pyxis]

Thanks everyone Yes, we are going to ask them to keep their birds locked up and off my property. I'm pretty hopeful they will because I had a problem before with one of their dogs killing my birds and after talking to them one time that dog never showed up again. So hopefully it will be the same with the turkeys. I just hope they will start feeding them an appropriate amount.

 

[RubyNala97]

I just didn't get around to pictures the other day when I posted.  Too much going on getting kids ready for school and getting the truck out of the shop.  But I'll get to it!

 
I'll keep on top of those poofs.  Beginning to suspect at least 2 roosters in the Silkies but still not sure.  Too little to crow yet, but sure a lot of chest bumping and competition going on between them.  I know that can happen between the girls too, so I'll just watch for now.

They are doing great in with the LF so far....even the older 4 year old birds I have are not an issue, so we hope that continues.  

No rush! I know how life is! I've seensilkies mixed in with large fowl no problem, so it sounds like you've got a good group together!

Poor little guy didn't make it I went home to check on them on my lunch and he never made it out of the egg and there was a lot of fluid on the paper towel under the egg. I had another one that looked like the yolk broke, it was stuck from the yolk drying so I had to wet it down and help it out.

I wrapped him it a damp paper towel so I'm hoping I can get the dried yolk off him when I get home tonight.

Oh no! That's so sad. Sorry to hear that.

Thanks everyone Yes, we are going to ask them to keep their birds locked up and off my property. I'm pretty hopeful they will because I had a problem before with one of their dogs killing my birds and after talking to them one time that dog never showed up again. So hopefully it will be the same with the turkeys. I just hope they will start feeding them an appropriate amount.

That's good to hear. So hopefully it won't be an issue with the turkeys!

 

[RubyNala97]

I have some questions and hopefully you guys can give me some guidance. I know of someone with a small farm and I need to report them. Their animals are living in very bad conditions and their chickens, ducks, and pigs are not given feed. They are just thrown moldy bread and corn. They are not given fresh water, ever. The water looks like mud and smells like feces. The big rubber bowls you buy at tsc are literally disintegrating because they have never been cleaned out and are filled with about 2 inches of feces on the bottom. There are double the amount of males to females. All the girls are bare back and bloody. Death is a daily occurrence. Everyone is extremely over crowded. And the animals that are injured are left to suffer. Never humanely put down. It's just a mess. But for important reasons it needs to be anonymous. I can't have this person know it was me. But my heart breaks for the animals. Who do I make a report to? Has anyone ever done this? Can you do it anonymously? My cover story was going to be that I purchased a couple chickens from a CL ad that I responded to. This person occasionally puts ads up on CL for animals. What do you guys think? I'm nervous but I can't turn a blind eye any longer.

 

[Ravynscroft]

I have some questions and hopefully you guys can give me some guidance. I know of someone with a small farm and I need to report them. Their animals are living in very bad conditions and their chickens, ducks, and pigs are not given feed. They are just thrown moldy bread and corn. They are not given fresh water, ever. The water looks like mud and smells like feces. The big rubber bowls you buy at tsc are literally disintegrating because they have never been cleaned out and are filled with about 2 inches of feces on the bottom. There are double the amount of males to females. All the girls are bare back and bloody. Death is a daily occurrence. Everyone is extremely over crowded. And the animals that are injured are left to suffer. Never humanely put down. It's just a mess. But for important reasons it needs to be anonymous. I can't have this person know it was me. But my heart breaks for the animals. Who do I make a report to? Has anyone ever done this? Can you do it anonymously? My cover story was going to be that I purchased a couple chickens from a CL ad that I responded to. This person occasionally puts ads up on CL for animals. What do you guys think? I'm nervous but I can't turn a blind eye any longer.

Department of Agriculture, and reports are anonymous don't worry... to insure action by them, do it when you know there's some of those bodies left around, there's a 24-48 hrs to remove those and after that it's considered a major health hazard...

 

[jenniferlamar70]

I have some questions and hopefully you guys can give me some guidance. I know of someone with a small farm and I need to report them. Their animals are living in very bad conditions and their chickens, ducks, and pigs are not given feed. They are just thrown moldy bread and corn. They are not given fresh water, ever. The water looks like mud and smells like feces. The big rubber bowls you buy at tsc are literally disintegrating because they have never been cleaned out and are filled with about 2 inches of feces on the bottom. There are double the amount of males to females. All the girls are bare back and bloody. Death is a daily occurrence. Everyone is extremely over crowded. And the animals that are injured are left to suffer. Never humanely put down. It's just a mess. But for important reasons it needs to be anonymous. I can't have this person know it was me. But my heart breaks for the animals. Who do I make a report to? Has anyone ever done this? Can you do it anonymously? My cover story was going to be that I purchased a couple chickens from a CL ad that I responded to. This person occasionally puts ads up on CL for animals. What do you guys think? I'm nervous but I can't turn a blind eye any longer.

I don't have any suggestions cause I haven't had to report anyone before but I just wanted to say your doing the right thing. It's really hard to stand up for what's right cause we all don't want to make problems for others but it sounds like this is what needs to happen. Stay strong.

 

[RubyNala97]

Department of Agriculture, and reports are anonymous don't worry... to insure action by them, do it when you know there's some of those bodies left around, there's a 24-48 hrs to remove those and after that it's considered a major health hazard...

Oh really? There's dead duck and chicken carcasses hanging from the enclosures to deter predators! Does that count? I haven't been there in awhile but this person came here today and was joking about how clean my ducks pool was and laughing about how their ducks are lucky to have any water once a week! I just smiled. I'll start taking some walks over there and check it out but I'm pretty sure anytime will be the right time to call. Thanks for the info!

I don't have any suggestions cause I haven't had to report anyone before but I just wanted to say your doing the right thing. It's really hard to stand up for what's right cause we all don't want to make problems for others but it sounds like this is what needs to happen. Stay strong.

Thank you. I saw it first hand at the beginning of summer and wanted to let some time pass before I made a report and I don't want to chicken out! But I'd like to do it by the end of this month.